Hello Calorie Burners!
Most of us that spend time trying to burn calories have the knowledge that we NEED to eat for energy. We also know that if we want a certain type of body, that it takes hard work, and doesn’t happen over night. There are many people that I talk to daily about certain types of diets. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is this. People put hours and hours into the gym. They put hours and days, and months into training for an event. What they don’t do, is learn or study where the energy will come from. No, silly, I don’t just mean food. I mean what kind of food. More specifically, what kind of food, for your sport, or event.
There are a few basics that are simply the science of how the body burns food for energy. If you are a long distance runner, you need a higher percentage of fats in your diet than a sprinter. Sprinters need more carbs, as the body goes to carbs first in explosive, shorter duration sports. The body burns more fat in oxidative sports as in marathons, tri-athalons, and cycling. Weight lifting, power lifting, and short durations of kettlebell training require a higher content of carbs also.
Protein is only used for repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue. It is very rarely used as an energy source. When figuring your diet, first know what type of sport you are involved in. Aerobic, meaning using oxygen, or anaerobic, not using oxygen. Then determine what foods you need more of, and then how much of them you need. I still am a huge advocate of eating for what you will do next. Then plan a shake for immediately after a workout, within that golden opportunity window of 30 minutes. Now this is where you have your simple carbs, your protein, and your supplements as in glutamine, vitamins C and E to aid your muscles in their recovery.
When you plan your next workout, event, or competition, check out sites that give you the guidelines of how to eat for your sport. Follow a plan. This can make the difference in a couple of minutes, a couple of sets, or walking away with a trophy to show off! Take your diet as seriously as your training, and see how efficient your body was meant to be. Food is meant for energy. Let it give you the power you need.